ISLAMABAD: Zarina Hassan sits in her terra cotta tiled porch in Islamabad with a canvas on her lap. On the floor next to her, in a neat sequence, lies red, blue and yellow paint. She says she always keeps them in that order, because it’s the only way she can tell which color to paint her roses.
A doctor from one of northwestern Pakistan’s most prestigious medical colleges in Peshawar, and with a master’s degree in molecular biology and pathology of viruses from Imperial College, London, Hassan lost her eyesight completely in 2015. Ten years earlier, in 2005, she was diagnosed with glaucoma, an eye condition that usually affects much older people.
Now, as the mother of three boys, Hassan said she continues to live her life as normally as possible, and painting canvases, even furniture, is a big part of that.
“It was challenging to start life (again) with no eyesight, but I started looking for things to help me live my life normally as I had to take care of my children as well,” Hassan told Arab News.
“I completely understand life will never be the same again for me, but I wanted to make a difference and turning to painting was my resolve to make myself active,” she said.
Inside, the walls of her home are filled with the intricate oil paintings of landscapes and flowers, all framed and lovingly displayed, some bursting with color that she has created but will never see.
Hassan said she usually works with primary colors, after arranging them in order.
“I mix them with white if I’m painting something of a lighter tone. Usually, I know which color to mix with the other,” she said, and then added with a smile. “I imagine the colors, and then I paint them.”
‘I imagine the colors:’ Blind Pakistani doctor creates a world of art
‘I imagine the colors:’ Blind Pakistani doctor creates a world of art
- Zarina Hasan, a doctor and graduate of Imperial College London, spends her free time with a canvas and a paintbrush
- She lost her eyesight completely to glaucoma in 2015
Pakistan cricket players to gather at Times Square today as PCB courts global PSL investors
- PCB is targeting US, Middle Eastern and European investors, aims to expand PSL from six to eight franchises next season
- The board has extended the bidding deadline to Dec. 22, citing increased international interest after the London roadshow
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricket players are scheduled to gather at Times Square in New York today, Sunday, as part of a Pakistan Super League (PSL) fan engagement event, as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) pushes to raise the league’s global profile and attract foreign investors.
The event comes days after the PCB held a PSL roadshow in London and as it seeks investors for two additional franchises ahead of the league’s 11th edition, set to be played in April and May next year. The board is aiming to expand the PSL from six teams to eight amid what it has described as growing international interest.
“Pakistan cricket team players, along with the HBL PSL Trophy, will be present at Times Square at 5:30 pm, offering fans a special opportunity to celebrate the global spirit of the HBL Pakistan Super League,” the PCB said in a statement released Saturday.
“Pakistan cricket and HBL PSL fans in New York are invited to join this unique fan engagement moment,” it added.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi has arrived in New York to attend the event, according to the board.
Naqvi, who also serves as Pakistan’s interior minister, said the deadline to submit bids for the two new PSL teams has been extended until Dec. 22 to accommodate heightened interest from investors in the US, Middle East and Europe.
Earlier this week, the PSL roadshow in London featured former Pakistan cricket stars Wasim Akram and Ramiz Raja, alongside current players Babar Azam, Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan. The players spoke about their careers and the role the PSL has played in developing Pakistan’s cricketing talent.
Launched in 2016, the PSL has grown into Pakistan’s flagship T20 competition, featuring a mix of local and international players.
The league now competes for global viewership with tournaments such as the Indian Premier League, Australia’s Big Bash League, England’s Hundred and the Caribbean Premier League.
